1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to supports for invalids, and in particular relates to a brace for assisting invalids and elderly in rising to a standing position.
2. Background Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,599 issued on Apr. 9, 1991 to Thomas W. Cunningham discloses a portable aid for assisting an invalid or elderly person in rising from a sitting position. The portable aid includes a portable vertical support and a brace member attached and stored with the portable vertical support. The brace member extends away from the vertical support and has a dimension in the horizontal direction sufficient to extent onto a seat of a chair to permit a sitting person to push downwardly upon the brace member for assistance in rising to a standing position.
The braces consist of a pair of horizontal rods joined to a pivot mechanism attached along the vertical support. The brace member is moved up and down the pivot mechanism within a flanged face. Thus, the brace members are moved from a position for use in assisting in the rising and thus to a position for storage.
The above referenced patent identifies the need to provide stability for a disabled person when they are rising from a sitting position to a standing position. Stability is also needed while that person prepares to advance using devices such as a walker. The walker is typically a lightweight structure that provides disabled persons stability while walking but because of its lightweight cannot be relied upon for pulling that person up from a sitting position or for providing leverage needed in other positions other that standing. The need to aid the disabled person in rising is known and has been addressed in the above referenced disclosure. There is also a need to maintain a stable condition for the disabled person throughout that persons movements, including preparation of assisting devices.